Desperate Measures
by Alaska829Snow
Summary: Emma is frustrated that no one believes Regina is her true love. She takes matters into her own hands to try and prove she's right. SwanQueen.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the result of me being overly emotional and sick of having Neal shoved down my throat by Eddy and Adam. Hope you guys like it :] Mentions of Regina's torture and references to my take on some of the spoilers / pictures we've seen of the finale. ((Will probably be 3 or 4 chapters.))**

* * *

"So, are you two_ ever_ going to tell me what you wanted to talk about?" Henry asked his mothers, who sat across the table from him in an utterly uncomfortable silence. "Or are we just going to sit here and stare at each other?"

Under normal circumstances, Regina would've reprimanded her son for his bordering-on-disrespectful sarcasm. But these were not normal circumstances; this was not just any day. She fully recognized she was in no position to start off the conversation on a sour note. That's not how she wanted this to go.

And, to be completely fair, Henry had a point. After all, they had been sitting at the table for close to five minutes without speaking a single word.

"No," the former-Queen swallowed, "we're going to talk."

And she wanted to talk to him, more than anything. But it felt like they had been separated for so long. And she almost wondered if she had forgotten how to speak to the boy she had raised for ten years.

"What's wrong?" He questioned.

She glanced over at Emma, fully aware they were thinking the same thing: their son had been through so much lately, that he automatically assumed the worst.

"It's nothing bad," Emma promised him, as she shifted in her seat. "It's actually, well, about..._us_."

"Us?" He repeated back to her, seeking clarification.

"Me and your mom."

_"What about you?"_

They had practiced the conversation out loud—they had rehearsed lines to each other for weeks. But Regina already felt their plan falling apart. Two grown women who wanted nothing more than to make their son happy were quickly crumbling under his baffled gaze.

"Henry," Regina began, as she attempted to bring them back on script, "have you noticed how we've all been getting along recently?"

"Yeah, of course I've noticed."

"And isn't that… isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes, but it's because your magic is gone and it got better, just like I said it would. You guys should've just let me blow it up at the well."

"Kid," Emma sternly warned, "your mom was almost killed...nothing about what they did to her, including taking her magic, was okay _at __all_."

"I didn't mean it like that," he backtracked, looking down at the table. "I know they hurt you, mom."

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I understand why you're glad I don't have magic anymore. But that's …it's not the only thing that's changed around here and that's what we want to talk to you about."

"What else has changed?"

Regina felt as though she could write on novel about everything that had changed.

Her entire world had been turned upside down, and she was still adjusting.

She had to adjust to life after the journey to Neverland; to life after saving the entire town, and rescuing her son from insane kidnappers.

She had to adjust to life without magic—a life without the temptation of a power that could appear at her fingertips.

She had to go to sleep every night begging the nightmares to leave her—the nightmares of painful electric shock radiating through her body—of the taste of death in her mouth.

But, yet, it had all been a lot easier than she would've thought.

_Because she had Emma._

She looked at the blonde sitting by her side. And despite how often they had gone over this, she was still at a loss for words to explain it all to Henry.

"I'm dating your mom," Emma blurted out, choosing to end the awkward tension as fast as possible. "We've been waiting to tell you. We've been waiting to tell you because we wanted to make sure it was working between us. But it _is_, working….and it's time you know."

It was Henry's turn to be silent as he internally processed the information. Regina couldn't take her eyes off of him. But as she stared at him, waiting for him to respond—her mind wandered to that night on the ship: the night that changed everything between her and the savior.

It was the night they cried in each other's arms, both so afraid to lose their child—both trying to recall the last words they had said to him, taking turns blaming themselves for how things had turned out.

It was the night they realized they were more alike than they were different.

It was the night they fell in love.

"_No,_"Henry finally concluded, causing both of his moms to furrow their brows.

"What do you mean _no_?" Emma asked.

"Tamara is gone; you're supposed to be with Dad now."

"In how many different languages do I need to say that I'm not getting back together with Neal?"

"Henry," Regina pressed on, despite the pain of rejection, "I know this is a lot to take in. But Emma is..."

"She's _what_?" He interrupted. "The savior. She's the savior and you're…"

"Do not even think about finishing that sentence with 'evil,' kid."

"But she's my true love," Regina desperately explained, eyes begging him to understand. "Isn't that what you wanted for both of us? To find that?"

"Emma's true love is _my dad_," he insisted, impermeable to her pleas, "and yours _died_."

"Life isn't that simple," Emma explained, as she grabbed Regina's hand under the table. "I will always care about your dad but I don't love him like that anymore. And just because your mom lost Daniel doesn't mean she doesn't ever get to love anyone else again."

"Okay but it also doesn't mean she loves you."

"But I do, Henry. I _do _love Emma."

"But this isn't how it's supposed to be," he declared, standing up from the table. "And I'm _going_ to tell David and Mary Margaret."

"They already know. You think I would hide this from my parents?"

"And they're happy about it?"

"They know Regina has changed. They've seen it themselves just like you have."

"But that doesn't mean they're happy about it," he reasoned. "They agree with me, _don't_ they?"

"No," she said, unconvincingly. Regina couldn't help but to admire her attempt, though she knew he would see right through it.

"You're lying, which is literally all the two of you _ever _do. That's the only thing you have in common."

"Henry," Regina urgently called after him, "_please _stay and talk to us."

"I'm going back to the apartment now."

They watched him leave, neither sure what to do to stop it, to change his mind. They simultaneously cringed as the mansion door slammed shut.

"Well, that went wonderfully," Emma spoke up first. "Are you alright?"

"He's_ never_ going to accept this," Regina failed to hide her defeatist attitude. "I don't know why I expected anything different. There was a part of me that even thought he would be happy about it. I can't believe after all this time…that I can still be so delusional."

"No, I thought the same thing. But he'll…he'll come around. It's Henry—and he loves us both. He just needs to get used to the idea."

"I highly doubt that. He's quite literally obsessed with you and Neal."

"Well, sooner or later he was going to get a reality check. Turns out, it's sooner. If we didn't tell him and we got caught, it would've been worse. He's just…he's fixated on living out ridiculously unrealistic fairytales."

"And how do you propose I compete with _that_? The perfect image he has created in his mind of his fairytale family?"

It was the reoccurring theme in her life, always being _almost_ good enough. _Almost enough for Cora to love her. Almost enough to save Daniel. Almost enough for a second chance. Almost enough for her son._

"Are you kidding me? There is no competition between _you_ and Neal. The image Henry has in his mind isn't real."

"That may be true, but it doesn't change that he's going to resent me even more now. All of this fits in perfectly with him seeing me as _evil._ I single handedly ruined his happily ever after by separating his parents."

"First of all, you did not separate us—we've been separated for years. Second of all, _we _are his parents; you and me. _This_ is his happily ever after, even if it doesn't know it yet. He's still pissed at both of us and Neal…Neal is some stupid hero in his eyes."

"Your parents _do _agree with Henry, though. He's going to go run to them and get their sympathy. They want you with Neal, too."

"If you think I care what other people want for me, you haven't been paying close enough attention."

"I _know_ you don't care…or we wouldn't have even gotten this far. We wouldn't even be having this conversation."

Emma wrapped her arm reassuringly around Regina's shoulder and the queen was all too ready to lean into the embrace.

"Hey," Emma said, quietly, "did you mean what you said to him?"

"Which part?"

"That I'm…. that I'm your _true love_?"

"I thought it would help if I spoke fairytale language since it usually appeals quite well to him. I thought I could get him to see it that way."

"It was a good idea," Emma agreed. "But you didn't answer my question."

"Yes," she whispered, aware of her own insecurities in that moment. She was uncertain if it was alright to admit the way she felt—so she added, _"I'm sorry."_

"Why the hell are you sorry?"

"Because, honestly, it sounds completely absurd."

"To everyone else, maybe. But not to me."

_"Really?"_

"I knew it when I thought we lost you forever. I can still…I can still smell that room, you know. I can still feel you dying in my arms. And I didn't know why it was the most devastating thing I ever experienced…but it _was_."

The images came flooding back to her: waking up to the savior's tears falling on her face, screaming that she couldn't die—to the sight of Emma covered in Tamara's blood.

"Sometimes your disregard for your own life really frightens me. Sometimes I wish you'd stop fighting for me, Emma."

"Fuck that. That's _never_ going to happen. And you'll do the same for me."

It was true—it also scared Regina to know what she would do for Emma. Because she wasn't very good at loving people, and always seemed to get it wrong. But, for the first time in a long time, she was willing to try to get it right.

"Well then," she said, "we better think of a faster way to show people this relationship is more than a circus show. Because not even our son, who believes in the good in everything, believes in _us_."

* * *

Emma often tried to see the world like 'the savior' should. But today, like most days, she was failing.

Today she was angry—and she felt like she had every right to be.

She had been asked by her family to take a thousand leaps of faith for them in the last year—she had been asked to accept her destiny as an integral piece in the Storybrooke puzzle. And she had, time after time, stepped up to the plate for them.

But now, when she needed her family to step up to the plate for her, they simple couldn't. They couldn't support her. And the last person she ever expected that from was her son—the boy who had changed her life for the better.

It was eternally frustrating that no matter how hard Regina tried no one saw what Emma saw.

What she needed was proof...poof that this was exactly how it was supposed to be; that the White Knight and the Evil Queen were in love.

But love, she knew, wasn't tangible.

She thought of her parents—how everyone accepted their love as _true._ How that's all she wanted—because she knew how much Regina wanted it, how much Regina deserved it.

_She thought of her parents. _

Maybe she could prove it.

Because she had momentarily forgotten that in this mixed-up, bizarre world she was living in, love was tangible. Or, at least, true love was.

She quickened her pace as she walked through the streets of Storybrooke.

_Because she could prove it._

* * *

Emma flung open the door to Mr. Gold's shop after nearly jogging across town.

"I need your help," she declared, standing with her hands on her hips, "with magic."

The man behind the counter, grand-father to her son, father to her first love, looked at her skeptically.

"I'm sorry...but why don't you ask _your girlfriend_ to teach you? She seems like the perfect candidate."

"No, I need you to make something for me. You're the one who makes curses, right?"

"A curse?" He asked. "What kind of curse could _you_ possibly need?"

"A sleeping curse."

"You really have been spending a lot of time with Regina, haven't you?" He chuckled. "Are you doing her evil bidding these days?"

"Look, I'm really not in the mood for your commentary; I just need the damn curse. Can you do it or not?"

"Of course I _can_. The question is if I_ should_ do it."

"You should and you will."

"But who exactly does the savior plan to damn to eternal slumber? Because, quite frankly, it seems a little out of character."

It was a risk to tell him the truth—but her mind was working quickly, and she had already thought through how she would get him to do precisely what she wanted. And that, in itself, minimized the risk of her honesty.

"It's for me."

"You? Is life with our queen really so horrible that you need to resort to something that drastic?"

"No."

"Well, it certainly seems like an overly-dramatic way to break- up."

"Shut up," she snapped. "I'm not breaking-up with her."

"Well, I'm sorry…but I'm not going to give it to you unless you tell me why you need it. Especially since you're acting so testy."

"Let's just say I need it to prove a point."

The man who went by Rumpelstiltskin seemed momentarily perplexed. But it didn't take him long to put all of the pieces together.

"Are you trying to _prove_ Regina is your true love? You want her to wake you up? So you can be like your parents?"

"It's none of your damn business."

"I heard all about how well your confession to Henry went," he divulged, certain of his suspicion. "This is quite a creative plan, though I can't say I endorse it."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing I don't care if you endorse it."

"And tell me, dearie, why would I help you prove that a second chance for you and my son is out of the question?"

"Because if you don't, I'll make up a whole bunch of horrible shit and tell Neal you did it. I'll tell him you're incapable of ever changing, and he shouldn't give you the time of day."

"You wouldn't lie to him."

"Are you sure about that? Do you really want to risk the only second chance with him you're ever going to get?"

"You're black mailing me?"

"Maybe I _have_ been spending too much time with Regina," she smirked victoriously, leaning her weight on the glass counter. "Or maybe I've just got a little evil in me after all. Either way, the choice is yours. Help me or take the chance and find out who Neal will believe, me or you."

"Very well, then," he gave in. "I suppose I don't have a choice in the matter."

With a simple flick of his wrist and a small cloud of purple smoke, a vile of liquid appeared in his hands.

"And what's the price for this, exactly?"

"The price?" He scoffed. "The price is the risk you're taking that you're wrong about her."

"I'm not wrong. She loves me."

"Even if that is true, she was still the Evil Queen. She darkened her heart and it was dark for ages. It takes a light heart to wake someone up from a curse this powerful."

"Her heart is light enough to save me."

"I hope you're right. Then again….with you out of the picture Neal, Henry and I will make quite the adorable family. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, sorry, but no; you'd have to kill Regina first."

"If she really loves you as much as you say, and she _can't _wake you up...I won't have to kill her. I know her well enough to know she won't ever come back from that."

For the first time, Emma felt a slight pang of fear. Because the last thing she wanted was Regina to end up hurt again.

But she wouldn't allow herself to think like that.

_Because she had faith in them; even if no one else believed in them, she did. _

And this plan, it was the only way.

"She'll wake me up," the savior asserted, confidently. "And I hope you're there to see it. I hope the whole fucking town is there to see it. Now give me the damn curse and let's get on with it already."

She grabbed the vile out of his hands, and marched out of the shop.


	2. Chapter 2

**I absolutely LOVE how none of you guys trust Rumple AT ALL. My lips are sealed regarding if he pulled anything. Here is the next chapter! Really hope you like it! **

* * *

Emma sat in her room losing an intense staring contest with a sleeping curse.

She held the vile of liquid in her fingers as she worked on convincing herself she wasn't afraid.

Her mother had been there, her father had been there, her son had been there. They had all been in that red room of fire—and they had all survived. They had all come back from it.

She saw no logical reason why she couldn't do the same.

Despite her confidence, all she really wanted was to talk to Regina; she wanted to hear the voice that somehow always soothed her. Emma wanted to tell her to trust her, to let her fix everything.

But Regina wouldn't be able to see the value of this plan—all her queen would see was the chance that it could go wrong.

It was a small chance, Emma told herself. But Regina would still be furious.

_Absolutely not_, she would say. _We're not risking your life, our happiness, to prove a point._

She smiled briefly at the thought that it had only been two months and she could already have entire conversations with Regina in her head. She could predict how the brunette would respond; she could visualize the precise facial expressions she would make.

At this moment the ability to do so was particularly convenient—because Emma knew she couldn't talk to Regina no matter how much she wanted to. Regina would know immediately that something was off. As well as Emma knew Regina, Regina knew Emma just as well. Lying wasn't an option in their relationship.

She reasoned there was only one thing she _could_ do: leave evidence behind. The savior took out a piece of paper and wrote down four simple words. She folded up the loose-leaf, put it in an envelope and wrote Regina's name on the front.

It made her plan feel real. _This was happening._

Next, she emptied out the contents of the vile into her glass of water. Because she couldn't exactly walk into her living room with a spell in her hand—her parents could be naive, but they weren't entirely clueless. And if they figured out what she was doing, they would try to stop her, too.

This _was_ real—this was happening _now_. No one could stop her.

She was the savior. She could fight dragons. She could wield a sword. She could climb bean-stalks. Her heart was anchored inside of her chest, incapable of being removed.

She could do this.

Regina Mills was the queen. She was the mayor. She was determined. She had been to hell and back over and over again. She loved deeper than anyone Emma had ever known.

_They_ could do this.

* * *

Emma opened her bedroom door and found her parents on the living room couch—David, just home from his shift, was the first to notice her.

"I thought you were supposed to be at work?"

"I asked Ruby to cover," was her only justification. "Where's Henry?"

"He said he had a project to work on after school but he should be here soon," her mother clarified, as she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Neal was going to walk home with him."

"Okay, that's good."

"Are you alright?" David inquired, noticing the disturbingly blank look on his daughter's face.

"When Regina gets here make sure you give her this," she instructed as she placed the envelope down on the coffee table.

"Regina's coming over?" Snow inquisitively tilted her head slightly to the right. "_Here_?"

Emma caught on to the disapproving undertone of the comment. Her parents thought she was breaking one of their unspoken rules_: No Evil Queen in the house. If you want to fraternize with the enemy, don't do it under our roof._

"You're going to call her in a few minutes and ask her to come over."

"I am?"

"For the record, I really wish there was another way."

She watched as her parents exchanged glances, looking to each other for some sort of enlightenment.

"Emma," David pushed, "_what_ are you talking about? Another way for what?"

She had waited her whole damn life for any version of a happy-ending. And even though her parents were _literally_ a walking fairytale, she still wasn't sure what she believed in.

Except control; she believed in taking control. She believed that people spent a lot of time telling her who she should be. She believed it was time she pushed back—time to show Storybrooke her true self.

She didn't answer the question posed by her father.

She simply brought the glass to her lips and drank.

The room began to spin.

She fell backwards onto the couch.

She saw darkness.

And then, all she felt was _heat._

* * *

Regina was trying her hardest to be patient with all of Emma's bad-mannered habits. But the one that drove her utterly insane was the blonde's uncanny ability to _always _be late.

The mayor stood on the sidewalk outside the station, waiting for the sheriff to show up for work. Emma had _begged_ her the night before to hang out with her and 'save her from the boredom of a weekday afternoon shift.'

The queen was getting restless when her cell phone rang and Emma's name appeared on the caller I.D.

Despite her irritation, she smiled at the thought of her girlfriend's whiney voice on the other line. She was certain there would be some elaborate story about why Henry or her parents had held her up. Even though Regina hated Emma's tardiness, she loved the way Emma told stories in an overly-dramatic fashion.

She picked up and feigned a sternly disapproving tone. "You ask me to come entertain you at work and _you're_ twenty-five minutes late. This does not bode well…"

Her voice trailed off when she heard muffled sobs on the other end of the phone—sobs that did not belong to the savior.

"_Something happened to Emma_," her nemesis choked out. "_You need to come here." _

She hung up, fingers shaking—mind racing.

She closed her eyes, ready to transport herself to the Charming family apartment.

When it didn't work, she violently slammed her fists against the outer wall of the Sheriff's station. She had briefly forgotten she was powerless—that she no longer had magic.

"_Shit,"_ she cried out loud.

She grabbed her keys out of her purse and ran to the car.

* * *

"_Emma,"_ Regina barreled through the door in frenzy, dropped her bag on the floor and planted herself next to the savior's unconscious form. She was oblivious to the other people in the room as she placed both of her hands on Emma's face.

"What happened?" She angrily demanded answers as she finally realized the Charmings were standing over her, watching her every move.

"She did it," Snow replied through tears, "we watched her do it."

"Do _what_?"

"She drank something," David clarified, his arm wrapped securely around his wife, "and then she just….collapsed."

"Someone poisoned her?"

"No, you don't understand," Mary-Margaret's tone was frantic. "It was like she knew what was going to happen to her. She walked into the room and drank it and then passed out on the couch."

"Are you two suggesting she did this _on purpose_?"

The sum of Regina's anxieties and self-doubt washed over her. If Emma_ had_ done this on purpose it meant that she wanted to leave, that she was unhappy, that their love wasn't enough.

She looked down at the woman she loved, the same woman whose arms she fell asleep in every night. It didn't seem possible—they were happy. But, then again, Regina had learned that was usually when tragedy struck.

"I don't know, exactly," Snow continued. "I just know she knew something bad was about to happen. She had this possessed look on her face and told us we were going to have to call you."

"I found this in her room," Charming handed Regina the empty vile. "Do you know what it is?"

A single drop remained in the container—Regina poured it out onto her finger tip, brought it to her nose and sniffed it. It wasn't difficult for her to figure out; she would know this particular spell anywhere.

"It's a sleeping curse," she informed them. "And considering she didn't get it from _me_, I suggest you call the only other person in this town that could've given it to her."

David ran into the other room to find a phone, acting immediately on Regina's direction.

"Do you think someone _made_ her do it? Do you think it was Gold?" Snow theorized, appearing as perplexed as Regina. "She said something about how she wished there was another way…."

The endless possibilities ran through Regina's mind—she was afraid Emma had gotten herself in to trouble too deep, made a deal too difficult to go back on.

"I think Emma would do anything to protect the people she loves."

"So if someone was threatening Henry or me or you…."

"But this doesn't make_ any_ sense," the queen shouted. "She wouldn't keep that from me, if Gold was trying to pull something. And all of the other threats are _gone_. Storybrooke is supposed to be safe now."

"I know. This seems so... out of nowhere."

"I have to think….I have to think like Emma would," she stood up and began to pace. "There _has_ to be an explanation. If she was in trouble and she didn't tell either of us there has to be a reason."

Regina tried to recall all of their recent conversations—urgently searching her mind for any indication, any possible hidden meaning behind Emma's words.

As she did, Henry arrived home; he walked into the apartment with Neal following close behind him.

"What's going on?" The eleven-year-old asked, scanning the room. When he saw his biological mother on the couch, he ran to her—exactly like Regina had. "What happened?"

"Henry," Snow addressed him, "Emma somehow ended up drinking a spell; she's under a sleeping curse."

"But_ how_? How did this happen to her?"

"We don't know—but your mom is going to figure it all out."

"A curse?" Neal questioned, obviously disturbed by the premise. "My dad didn't have something to do with this? Did he?"

"Gold is on his way over here," David answered, as he walked back into the room. "He would only confirm that Emma came to see him."

"Why would Emma go to see him?" Regina continued to think out loud. "She doesn't trust him. What the hell was she trying to accomplish? What did she get herself into?"

As everyone in the room looked to Regina for instruction, Henry suddenly stood up and ran to his father.

"_Kiss her,"_ Henry grabbed his arm. "If it's a sleeping curse, _you _can wake her up."

"I can't," Neal quietly replied, as if he didn't want his son's request to be heard by anyone else.

"You can. I know you can do it."

"It's not my place to kiss Emma, Henry."

"Do you _want_ her to die? You have to save her!"

"Of course I don't want her to die."

"Then _help_ her. Why can't you just give it a shot? What's the harm in trying?"

Neal didn't seem to have an answer for shrugged her shoulders and looked to David who simply nodded in approval of the plan.

"Regina?" Neal turned to the queen for permission.

"What is it?" She snapped. She had tuned out their conversation, and was irritated that her thought-process had been interrupted. "I'm _trying_ to think."

"_Mom_," Henry begged, "Can he try to wake her up with a kiss?"

Over the past year, her son had caused her to feel a million different emotions: sorrow, guilt, regret, fear, hope, love. But as he looked at her, so clearly convinced Neal was Emma's hero, all she felt was defeated. She felt like she had finally lost him. Without Emma, she wasn't strong enough to stand up to him—she couldn't argue with his logic—she couldn't tell him no.

"Okay," she reluctantly approved. "I don't care _how_ Emma wakes up, Henry. I just want her back with us."

"Do it, Dad. _Please._"

Neal awkwardly approached Emma, lacking Henry's confidence. He bent down and pressed his lips against his ex-girlfriend's mouth.

Regina couldn't bring herself to watch, choosing instead to look down at the floor.

She didn't know what she wanted to happen—because she wanted the curse broken—but she didn't want Neal to be successful—she didn't want her son to be right.

The room was silent when Neal pulled away; seconds passed and there was no change in Emma's state.

"Why d-didn't it work?" Henry stuttered, unaccustomed to being wrong about magic. "That's supposed to break _any _curse."

"I'm sorry," Neal offered the room.

"They're not in love anymore," Snow concluded. "True love requires the belief of both parties."

"But…" Henry objected, "I thought…"

"What the hell is this?" Regina interrupted when she noticed the envelope addressed to her sitting on the table.

"Oh, that's right," David recalled, "Emma said…she said to give it to you."

Regina took the note in her hands, petrified to read the words Emma had left behind. But she blocked out her emotions, certain her need for answers was greater than her fear.

"What does it say?" Snow begged her to share.

"_Prove them all wrong," _she read out loud.

And, suddenly, Regina understood.

Emma didn't want Henry to be right, either. Emma didn't want any of them to be right.

"Prove who wrong?" Her son asked. "What does that mean?"

She met his eye-line, but words did not seem to want to come out of her throat.

"It means," Snow began, quickly catching on, "that your mom is going to wake Emma up with true love's kiss."

Regina felt every pair of eyes in the room burning into her being.

And, suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach.

She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to hold back the puke she felt creeping up her throat.

She sprinted out of the room and into the bathroom.

She flung herself over the toilet.

She sobbed as she vomited.

She sobbed as she wondered what the hell Emma was thinking.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again, Swen friends! Here is your next chapter. It took a few days mostly because I've been curled up in the corner trying to recover from part one of the finale. It's not going well. I really hope you enjoy this longer-than-usual update. **

* * *

Snow White walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

But she dared not approach the Queen.

She knew that what Regina hated most in the world was appearing vulnerable. She also knew that being hunched over your enemy's toilet was about as vulnerable as a person could be.

So she simply stood and watched—wondering if Regina even noticed her—wondering if coming into the room was a horrific mistake. She reasoned she couldn't just sit on the sidelines, no matter how much of a risk it was attempting to reach out, when her daughter's life was at risk.

After what seemed like ages Regina stood upright, still coughing and trying to catch her breath, as she gracelessly wiped her mouth. She shot Snow a look that clearly signified she disapproved of the invasion of such a personal moment.

"Here," Snow broke the tension, picking up a toothbrush from the counter and offering it over. Regina considered the object skeptically, donning the same perplexed look she had whenever someone showed her kindness.

"It's Emma's," she clarified, "I promise."

This information caused Regina to relax and accept the gesture. Without saying a word she made her way to the sink, turned the faucet on, lined Emma's toothbrush with paste and began to brush.

"Stop looking at me like that," Regina snapped, after finishing and spitting into the sink. Snow shivered as their eyes met in the mirror.

"Like what?"

"Like you think I'm going to fail."

"I'm not," she protested. "I don't expect you to fail at all."

Regina slammed the toothbrush down on the counter and spun herself around. "Everyone out there is just staring at me."

"I think that's what Emma wanted. She wanted everyone to be here to watch."

"Oh, it's _exactly_ what she wanted. She wanted to put on a show. But as is so often the case with her, she didn't think this through. She's impossible and irresponsible and completely moronic to think that I, of all people, will be able to do this...to _fix_ this."

Snow tried not to panic in response to the outburst. Emma was the one who knew how to handle Regina—she, on the other hand, was terrified to make one wrong move.

"You're right—this was a ridiculously irresponsible decision. And you can tell her that when you wake her up."

"How_ dare_ she not even tell me what she was thinking? What kind of person does something like this? Why didn't she tell me?"

She couldn't blame Regina for asking the question—because she was asking herself the very same thing. Where had she gone so wrong that Emma had to resort to this? That her own daughter didn't feel like she could come to her mother?

"I think we both know from experience that love sometimes clouds your better judgment."

The truth of the statement hung over them—and was followed by the real reason for Regina's nausea. _"What if I can't save her?"_

"You will. I can feel it."

"I couldn't save Daniel. I couldn't save my mother."

Snow cringed at the mention of the two deaths she was responsible for, trying to push away the unwelcome feelings of guilt and regret. "This is different."

"And if it's not? Emma will be dead because I had the audacity to say out loud that this was true love—to put that idea in her mind."

"No," she vigorously disagreed, taking ownership of her failures as a parent, "Emma will be dead because no one, including me, was willing to support her."

She waited for Regina to yell, to agree with the statement. She waited to be called a phony and a hypocrite. But the words did not come.

"Even if I do wake her up, do you honestly believe it will solve anything?"

She could've lied. But Snow understood that her daughter's plan was inherently flawed—proof that Regina and Emma were in love did not erase the complications that accompanied the fact.

"It won't solve anything," she admitted. "But at least we both won't lose someone else we love. The lists are getting too long."

"You think I don't know that? I_ can't _lose anyone else I love. I can't handle it-especially not if it's Emma."

"So, don't. We don't have to lose her."

"Maybe you haven't noticed…but it's not that simple."

Snow was momentarily speechless—because Regina was right—their lives had never been simple.

But, she thought, love still was. Regina didn't believe that—because she never had the chance to live it.

But Snow had—Snow had seen that when the world was falling apart around her-nothing else mattered with Charming by her side.

All she needed was to get the Evil Queen to understand she could have that, too.

"The other night, Emma came into the kitchen and she looked at me with this overly solemn face and she said, 'Do you think Regina will ever want to get married again?'"

"_What?"_

"You should know…Emma _never _talks to me about you. Ever since she told us about your relationship, we all go to extreme lengths to avoid the conversation entirely. Because we don't want to fight with her and she doesn't want to fight with us. But she marched right up to me and brought you up, as if we talk about it all the time. She started asking me to tell her about…about when we lived together."

"She asked you about that? Why?"

"She wanted to know about how unhappy you were."

"I told her everything about that already."

"I didn't know what to say to her, honestly. So I just asked, 'Are you and Regina thinking about marriage?'"

"What did she say?"

"She said 'I doubt Regina is, but I am. Do you think she'll ever eventually go for it?' I told her I was the last person on earth who would know what you want."

"I see."

"But I _lied_—I know what you want. You want real love. It's all you've ever wanted."

"Do you have a point?"

"That all Emma wants is _you_. As convoluted as this may seem, she thinks she's helping."

"She needs a better definition of 'help' then."

"Clearly she does. But she is standing in a burning room in excruciating pain. We can't just sit here. You have to try and it has to be now."

"You're right," Regina agreed, speaking words Snow never thought she'd live to hear. But the victory was meaningless now. It was _all_ meaningless unless they could save Emma. "I have to try."

* * *

Regina positioned herself on the edge of the couch and hovered over Emma.

Snow wished more than anything that Henry would choose this moment to cheer her on. But the child remained quiet, clearly shell-shocked and too worried to realize how much his mother needed his encouragement.

Snow stepped in, attempting to fill a void she knew she was incapable of filling. "_You've got this, Regina."_

The Queen nodded at her, and Snow could've sworn she sensed genuine gratitude.

Regina took a deep breath.

She leaned forward and kissed Emma.

Snow grabbed David's hand, as they both impatiently waited for their daughter to wake up.

But what they saw instead was Regina's body falling forward, collapsing on top of Emma.

At first Snow thought it was a hug—a happy reunion. But when neither woman moved after several seconds, Mary-Margaret ran to them.

"Regina," she turned the brunette over and shook her repeatedly—refusing to believe things could go this wrong. But as hard as she shook, Regina remained as lifeless as when they found her on the cold, metal table after hours of being tortured.

"_Mom?"_ Henry called out, receiving no answer. "What's wrong with her?"

"What just happened?" Neal inquired, putting a protective arm around his son.

"I don't understand," David tried to process. "Is Regina cursed now, too?"

"No, this can't be happening," Snow argued with the universe. "This isn't even how sleeping curses work!"

"_How very Romeo and Juliet,"_ a familiar voice spoke from the doorway and caused all four of them to simultaneously turn around. _"It's quite touching, really."_

David lunged forward as soon as he realized Rumple had arrived. He grabbed the man by his jacket and angrily pushed him against the wall. "What sick and twisted trick did you pull on my daughter, you bastard?"

Henry ran out of Neal's grip and appeared right next to Charming's side. "What did you do to my moms?"

"Tell us," Neal commanded. "What the hell did you do _now_?"

* * *

Emma had never experienced pain like the agony of standing in that room. She had already lost track of time—unsure if she had been there for seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years. All she knew was she needed Regina to wake her up. And fast.

As the thought entered her mind, the woman she loved suddenly stood directly before her. She ran her hand across her own forehead for the hundredth time, wiping away the beads of sweat. She was certain Regina couldn't_ really_ be there.

"And now I'm hallucinating," Emma concluded, as she reached out to the vision. Her arm went right through her partner, confirming her suspicion. "That's just fantastic."

"You're not hallucinating, Emma."

"_Regina?"_ She jumped back, still wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her. "Why can't I touch you?"

"Because that's how it works here."

"I don't understand."

"I can't believe," the brunette faltered, "I can't believe that you did this to us."

"What the hell happened?"

"I kissed you. And now I'm here."

"How is that even possible?"

"I'm…I'm not sure."

It was the admittance that finally caused Emma to accept that this was really _her_ Regina—the statement was made with the self-inflicted shame she felt whenever she couldn't provide answers.

"Was there like sleeping curse still on my lips, or something?"

"The fact that you think that shows just how naive you are about magic," Regina mocked her. "And even _if_ that was a possibility, Neal would've gotten it off when he kissed you first."

"Neal kissed me first? And nothing happened? _I knew it."_

"Do you really think you are in the best position to be _gloating_ right now? Do you have any understanding of what you've done? I'm not here with a grand plan to rescue you, Emma. You fucked up big time and I don't know how to get us out of this."

"Regina, I think…"

"No, shut up," she interrupted, now screaming. "You were the one person in my life who _never_ manipulated me-and who I truly believed never would. I'm _so_ thrilled you chose such a grand-gesture to prove me wrong."

"You have to understand," Emma pleaded, "that's not what I was trying to do. I was trying to make things better for us—for our whole family."

"By trusting Rumpelstiltskin with your life?"

"I didn't trust him—I blackmailed him."

"Yes, because he's clearly the type of person to respond well to blackmail. Did you really believe you could outsmart him? He probably….he probably…"

"What? What is it? What did he do?"

"A reverse sleeping curse," Regina concluded. "He gave you a reverse sleeping curse."

"What's a reverse sleeping curse?"

"Instead of your true love waking you up—your true love ends up cursed with you."

"What the hell kind of spell is that?"

"An extremely dark and rare one."

"But that means…"

"Yes," Regina muttered. "When Neal kissed you, nothing happened. When I kissed you, I ended up here. There is no other explanation besides true love."

"You're my true love," Emma repeated out loud—she couldn't help but to feel vindicated.

"You better wipe that damn smile off your face. Because I'd really like to thank you so very much for booking us an all-expense-paid honeymoon to an eternity in _hell_. Quite frankly, it shouldn't surprise me. We finally get our happy-ending, except it lasts a total of ten weeks."

"No—we're going to figure this out."

"There's nothing to figure out. Rumple knew your plan would work. So he came up with a way to use it to his advantage. That's what he's always done—and what he'll always do."

"My parents aren't just going to let him win. They'll make a deal. They'll do something. They're not going to give up."

"You've been drinking way too much of the Charming Kool-Aid. How many times do you think we can cheat death?"

"A million times if we have to. That's our thing. This time won't be any different."

"I thought you told me your family optimism skipped a generation."

"I've been feeling a lot more optimistic these days—must be the whole true love thing. And I mean, frankly, if I have to spend forever stuck here staring at someone's face, at least it's yours."

"Would you just stop? Would you _please _stop making jokes right now?"

Emma sighed—her positive attitude was clearly not working. But she needed it. She needed it to survive. "This is the only way I know how to deal with fear, okay?"

She watched the anger leave the brunette's face. "You're scared?"

"Petrified. Aren't you?"

"Of course I am."

"I _am _sorry," Emma offered. "I love you and….I thought it would work."

"You got an idea in your head and nothing was going to stop you from executing it. Do you think I don't get that? It's why I'm so damn furious at you. Because this is something that_ I _would pull; you're supposed to be better than me."

"I'm not better than you. I never have been."

"I love you," Regina firmly stated. "I'm sorry I haven't said that yet."

"I wasn't trying to you manipulate you. I just knew you'd try to stop me. I wasn't trying to…."

"I know that, Emma. I know."

"Promise?"

"I promise," she nodded. "Are you hurt? Are you feeling burnt yet?"

"A little," Emma shrugged, trying to down-play it.

"Don't lie to me."

"A lot," she revised. "It hurts so much I want to cry."

"That's why this curse is pure evil—watching you in pain like this…I can't do it. And in a few minutes, I'll be in just as much pain and you'll have to watch."

"The night on the ship—I've been thinking about it since I've been here—to distract myself."

"Yeah?"

"I've just been replaying it in my mind."

"How you came down below deck and found me hiding from everyone?"

"You looked so exhausted," the savior reminisced.

"So did you."

"You looked so defeated."

"So did you."

"Well...we _were_."

"Which was the pretext you used to put your hands all over me just like you always wanted to."

"Excuse me?" The savior smirked, happy Regina was willing to play along with her plan to take their minds off the current situation.

"You had your hands all over me that night."

"You were giving me Regina Mills puppy-eyes!"

"Evil Queens do not make puppy eyes, Emma."

"Um, okay…but you do."

"You got into my bed!"

"How the hell was it _your_ bed? It was a damn piece of wood with a sheet."

"That didn't stop you from spooning me."

"Have you re-written our entire relationship history or just the first night?"

"It's not re-writing history, dear. You were always the one chasing after me. Like on our disaster of our first date."

"Oh come on, Regina. It _wasn't_ a disaster!"

"You didn't even tell me it was a date."

"That wasn't my fault. All the signs were there."

"I had no idea what was happening until you shoved your tongue down my throat."

"Yes, which you clearly objected to seeing as you made out with me for ten minutes on your front porch before realizing we could've gotten caught."

"Okay," Regina laughed. "You have a point there. I cannot say I protested at all. And I was quite happy to learn it was a date—since I had already decided how much I enjoy your company. And we know I'm not a very patient person once I have decided what I want."

"This relationship forced me into learning how to be a patient person."

"Was that a not-so-subtle reference to the five and a half weeks I made you wait for sex?"

"Perhaps—but it was well-worth the wait."

"_You _were worth the wait," Regina lowered her voice, suddenly getting serious again, "all twenty-eight years of it."

* * *

"Emma asked me for this," Rumple defended as Charming continuously held him against the wall. "Actually, she blackmailed me for this. I cannot control the consequences of her decisions."

"No," Snow rebutted. "I know exactly what my daughter asked for and it wasn't this."

"She wanted to be with Regina—and now she is."

"Just get out," Neal shouted. "How could you do this to the mother of your grandson?"

"No," Charming protested. "He's not going anywhere until he tells us how to reverse this spell."

"Ms. Swan will be just fine—so you can all relax. If you recall, there is someone else in this room who is perfectly capable of waking her up."

"Me," Henry immediately realized. "Emma woke me up with true love's kiss."

"Precisely," Gold confirmed. "Which means you'll be able to wake her up as well."

"He won't end up cursed, too?" Charming protectively pondered.

"No—this curse is so rare it wears off after the first contact of true love. The boy won't be harmed."

"What about Regina?" Snow asked, still feeling anxious.

"I'm afraid, dearie, Regina is a horse of a different color."

"It's true love, right?" She pushed him. "Regina only ended up there because she _is_ Emma's true love?"

"Yes—and you can't entirely blame me for this turn-of-events…since just like the rest of you, I didn't believe that could actually be the case- the Savior and the Evil Queen."

"You're full of it. You knew what you were doing. You used Emma's plan as a way to trap Regina in a sleeping curse."

"If that was a 'thank you,' Mary-Margaret, I will gladly say you're welcome."

"That's Henry's other mom," Neal failed to hide his disgust.

"And the woman my daughter loves," Charming added.

"If I can wake Emma up," Henry interjected, "I can wake my mom up, too."

All of the adults focused their attention on him. "Do you love her?" Gold asked.

"Of course I love her. She's my mom."

"But _true love_ is the most powerful magic of all—it comes from the strongest, most pure form of love. Maybe you still have that with your mother, Henry. Or maybe the years of her manipulation put a strain on it. But there's certainly only one way to find out."

"And if I can't wake her up? She'll die?"

"No, she won't die—but she will suffer alone for eternity."

"But I need her. And Emma loves her—they can't be apart like that."

"Well, I guess Emma should've thought of that before."

* * *

"I feel like my skin is going to melt off my body," Regina grunted. "I can't believe our son was here."

Emma felt like crying at the mention of Henry. "I didn't even say good-bye to him."

"Neither did I. He must be feeling terrible right now. He was so desperate for you to wake up."

Emma thought about their kid—the little boy who just wanted a happy ending. _This_ was her attempt at giving it to him—and, so far, it was an epic failure.

"Regina, wait a second," she gasped, wondering why she didn't think of him sooner. "I woke Henry up with true love's kiss. Does that mean he can wake me up, too?"

"I never thought of that," the brunette's eyes lit up. "That might just…it might just work."

"I knew there had to be another way. He'll wake us up."

Regina's smile faded ever so slightly. "He'll wake _you _up."

"What? No, he loves us both."

"I believe that Henry cares about me. But _true _love? After how I lied to him? I don't think so."

"I lied to him, too. He looks at us the same. You heard him—he said it was what we have in common. It doesn't stop him from loving us."

"He _doesn't_ look at us the same. I'm not a fool. He still doesn't completely trust me."

"That's not true. And even if he couldn't wake you up-he can wake me up and then I'll wake you up."

"The person who drank the curse cannot wake anyone up from it. Henry is my only shot—and I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"Is there like some asshole in a castle somewhere that makes up these ridiculous magic rules? Because, if so, I would like to write him a strongly-worded letter."

"Emma, _please_."

"Well then just forget it—I'm not going to leave you here."

"Of course you are. Henry can't lose both of his mothers."

"He won't be alone; he'll have my parents."

"You want to make eternity in hell ten times worse? Because the thought of the two idiots raising my son would certainly do the trick."

"They love him—they'd take good care of him."

"This isn't up for discussion."

"You're right, it's not. I'd never leave you here no matter what you say."

"You won't have a choice—you can't stop someone from waking you up with a kiss."

"If I wake up and you're not awake next to me I will find another sleeping curse and come right back."

"You're not going to pay for my sins. If Henry can't wake me up…that's my karma…that's the price _I _pay."

"No, you're not going to pay for _my_ sins," Emma corrected. "You're only here because of me."

Regina chuckled darkly. "There is more truth to that statement than you realize."

"What do you mean?"

"I _am _only here because of you. You saved me—body and soul. And if I have to spend the rest of time in this room—well, then that's just fine with me. Because the last two months…I've had more happiness than I've had in my entire life—and probably more happiness than I deserve."

"Don't you dare talk to me like you're saying good-bye."

"It's only a matter of time before they figure out that Henry can wake you up. You've been my savior all along. But if it's your turn to be saved _without me_….well then, _so be it_."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! Sorry for the delayed update. This chapter ended up being so long that I decided to split it up. However, I am posting them both now so you don't have to wait! It will most likely end with chapter five. But I am highly considering writing an extra chapter where you'll get to see the infamous scene on the boat that's been referenced a few times. We will have to see how tomorrow goes and how much recovery time I need. **

**Anyway, I love you all and your sweet reviews. I wouldn't have survived the ups and downs of Season 2 without you:) Enjoy!**

* * *

"_Who should I wake up first?"_ An anxious Henry looked to his grandparents for direction.

Snow observed his fragile state and was struck by how much he resembled Regina.

Although he did not have the queen's blood running through his veins, his facial expressions were undeniably hers. His vulnerability reminiscent of the hopeful, but severely delicate, young Regina she once knew. For the first time, Snow looked at her grandson and realized the child was a truly beautiful combination of his two mothers.

"Emma has been there longer," she concluded, fully aware the decision was hers to make. "That's where you should start."

"Are you sure about that?" Charming questioned her. "Because if Emma wakes up and Regina isn't awake…I don't think it's going to be pretty."

"I understand that," she barked back at him. "But Emma has been surrounded by fire for over an hour longer than Regina. We have to prioritize by which one of them is in the most pain. And, right now, it's _our daughter_."

"Okay," her husband accepted. "You're right."

With the argument settled, Henry approached the couch—Neal close behind him, holding a supportive grip on his shoulders. He stood above both his mothers, who lay side by side, fingers touching.

Snow held her breath as her eyes fixated on them.

She tried her best to prepare for any and all outcomes.

But she couldn't.

Of all the times she wanted to save Regina Mills, _this_ was the time that mattered most.

* * *

"I'm running out of things to distract us with," Emma admitted, as she squirmed around—sweat dripping off every inch of her body.

Regina watched the hopefulness drain from the blonde's face and knew it was her turn to step up. It was her turn to be the optimist, something she wasn't particularly good at.

"Fourth date," she stated, matter-of-factly—because the very least she could do was appear calm. The very least she could do was take over as the leader in this game of diversion they were playing.

"Which one was that, again?" The savior asked, apologetically. "I swear under normal circumstances I'd remember but I can't…I can't think straight right now."

"I cooked you dinner at my house."

"You _always_ cook me dinner at your house, you're going to have to be more specific."

"You brought dessert," she reminded her, "you made blueberry pie."

"Oh right; that was my masterpiece."

Silence overtook them once again and Emma's eyes pleaded with her to keep the conversation going.

"I—uh," Regina continued, "I have a confession to make about that night, actually."

"What is it?"

"Your pie was _disgusting_."

"No, it wasn't," Emma protested and stomped her foot.

"Please don't deplete what little energy you have left over _this_."

"Are you lying to distract me with a fight?"

"I swear to you that I am not—that pie was one of the most repulsive things I've eaten in my entire life. And I lived in the enchanted forest. So, you can come to your own conclusions."

"But you ate a _huge_ piece."

"I know I did." Regina had learned that night the value of a little white lie—the meaning of making mundane sacrifices for the people you care about. "You kept saying how delicious it was and I didn't want to rain on your parade."

"I can't believe this. Why was it so bad?"

"Did you_ mean_ to pour an entire bucket of sugar in it?"

"I always add more sugar than the recipe calls for because sugar is the best part."

"Not when you use _that _much. It was so syrupy I thought my taste buds were going to implode. And I was up all night with stomach cramps."

"Honestly, you could've just told me. I wouldn't have been mad."

"You were so proud that you contributed, I didn't have the heart to tell you."

"That's actually extremely sweet...no pun intended."

"Plus, nobody ever made me anything before…besides Henry, when he was little. I truthfully didn't really care what it tasted like."

"This may not be a shocker—but I never baked for anyone until that night. I was clearly not the show-up-to-dinner-with-pie kind of girl. But I wanted to make you happy….apparently, I made you sick instead."

"You made me both—happy and sick."

"Wait," Emma scrunched her nose, "what did you do with the rest of it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I left it at your house and the next time I came over there was only a piece left?"

"I may or may not have fed it to Pongo."

"You fed my homemade pie to a _dog_?!"

"It wasn't safe for human consumption. And I definitely had to keep it away from Henry."

"I bet you were just waiting for a good time to tell me—when you knew I couldn't yell at you. Anything else you want to confess?"

"Let's see," she smirked, "I also may have thrown out your stupid tank top with holes in it because I don't understand why anyone…"

"_Regina,"_ Emma interrupted as she suddenly bent over, and grabbed her stomach. "Something is happening."

"What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm cold?" The statement was expressed with confusion and fear. "I'm _freezing_."

"Don't be afraid," Regina gently reassured her. "It's just Henry coming to get you—that means _it's time_."

"No," The savior shook her head—she held out her hands—but Regina still couldn't touch her. "I don't want to leave without you."

The Queen closed her eyes because she knew what was about to happen.

When she opened them—she would be just as she had always been: _alone._

* * *

Emma felt magic pulsate through every inch of her body as she sprung up and opened her eyes. She nearly choked as she inhaled fresh oxygen into her lungs while her skin welcomed the feel of the cool breeze on her still warm burns.

Although she was awake, she was utterly disoriented. So disoriented, in fact, that she couldn't remember what had happened. She looked around the room but the images she saw were blurry, her vision hazy at best.

It was the feeling of her mother's hands all over her face, kissing her hair and cheeks, that reminded Emma of the circumstances that led to this moment. After merely a few moments of being smothered in motherly affection, she remembered exactly the trouble her true love was in.

"_Regina,"_ she cried out. _"Wake her up."_

"_He's going to try,"_ she heard Mary-Margaret whisper into her ear.

"_Where is she?" _Her body was sore—muscles throbbing—but she needed to see this.

"_She's right here, sweetheart,"_ her mother gently turned her head towards the sight of Henry sitting with Regina, only inches away on the other side of the couch.

Emma wanted time to speed up, so she could hold Regina in her arms again. But she also wanted time to slow down, because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to live in a world in which Henry failed at this task. Especially because she knew she was responsible if it all went wrong.

Emma felt her own body shaking as Mary-Margaret held her, trying to calm her down. She watched Henry move closer and closer to Regina.

Her son's lips made contact with his adoptive mother's cheek—and Emma felt magic for the second time in under five minutes.

Her heart soared as she watched Regina's eyes flutter open.

The brunette, characteristically more graceful than the savior, sat up slowly. She brought her hands to her head and looked around the room in confusion.

"_Who did it?_" She immediately whispered. "Who woke me?"

"I did," Henry beamed up at her, tears running down his face.

"Really? You did? You still love me?"

"I never stopped loving you, mom."

"But true love," she exhaled in disbelief, _"the most powerful magic of all."_

"Yeah," he nodded. "The kiss doesn't lie."

"Thank you," she embraced him in a tight hug, "you saved my life."

"You saved us both, kid," Emma spoke up for the first time.

The savior's eyes locked with Regina's, who looked over their son's shoulder.

Henry and Snow both got up from the couch, allowing Emma to move closer to the only person who currently mattered to her.

"Emma Swan," the queen whispered, tears fresh in her eyes, "_you_ are in_ so_ much trouble-do not even think for a second that you are going to get out of me being furious with you because the level of your foolishness today sincerely…"

Emma listened to the rant—she knew the words were meant to be harsh—but the smile on Regina's face and the love radiating from her eyes told an entirely different story.

The savior cut off the monologue with a kiss, so relieved to be able to touch and feel the woman she loved.

"I'm so sorry," she said when they parted, their foreheads pressed together. _"I love you."_

"It's okay; I forgive you."

Emma wanted to hear I_ love you, too_. But she understood—she understood that Regina was still very conscious of who was watching them—that it was painfully obvious they were surrounded by an attentive audience.

"Do you forgive me, too?" Henry sheepishly asked them, interrupting their reunion.

"_For what?!" _They both instantaneously replied.

"I didn't believe you…I didn't believe that you love each other. That's why you drank the curse in the first place."

"No," Emma stated, firmly. "It's not your fault."

"But it _is_—you were trying to prove it to me."

"Kid, listen… your mom and I don't make sense to a lot of people. My decision had nothing to do with you. I was frustrated and I messed up. And I'm sorry I put you through this. But you don't have to apologize to us."

"Emma's stupidity _never _has anything to do with you."

"I believe you now," he promised. "I really do—I don't want to lose either of you, ever."

"Don't worry, Henry," Regina soothed him as she pulled him into her lap. "We're all okay—_I promise_."

"No thanks to you," Emma snarled as she made eye contact with Gold. "And as glad as I am that you were here to witness that—you need to leave before I start to think too hard about how you tried to trap Regina in a pit of fire based on the assumption that our son loves me more than he loves her."

"I will gladly see myself out," he assured her, "if I may just have a word with Mary-Margaret on my way."

"You may not," Charming answered on his wife's behalf.

"You _may_ stay away from this family," Neal added, "for good this time."

"Wait," Snow interjected, "I'm not afraid of him—he can have as many words as he wants to have with me. Because as hard as he tries to hurt the people in this room…_love keeps on prevailing_."

* * *

Snow stood in the door-frame with her arms crossed as she looked at the man responsible for tricking her daughter.

"That was a nice speech, dearie. But I need you realize what you've done."

"What _I've_ done? How can you seriously say that to me right now? How many times do you think Neal will forgive you for actively trying to hurt his son's family?"

"That, I can assure you, is not your problem. Regina is your problem. And you just gave up the solution."

"The last time I listened to your suggestion about how to remedy my problems, I tricked Regina into killing her own mother. And what did I get in return? Nothing but a darkened heart. I frankly think I'm better off without your advice."

"Haven't you noticed a reoccurring pattern? You will live to regret saving her, just like you always do."

"She's not going to lose her way again—not when she has Emma."

"I didn't say she was going to lose her way. But I know, deep-down, you don't want the Evil Queen to carry your future grand-children...do you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You might remember a little gift I have that allows me to see the future. Didn't you want this to be over? Your never-ending connection of misery to the woman who ruined your life? That's unlikely to happen if Emma knocks her up with magical babies."

"Enough," Snow cut him off. "This conversation is over."

She slammed the door in his face and walked back into the living room.

The sight of the queen wrapped snugly in her daughter's arms warmed her heart and terrified her at the same time.

Rumple was right about one thing: there was a time she had wanting nothing more than to cut ties with Regina Mills.

But fate had other plans; cutting ties was no longer an option.


	5. Chapter 5

**And here is the second part of the chapter!**

* * *

Regina observed herself in the mirror in Emma's bedroom. The Charmings had vigorously demanded they stay the night, so that they could rest and recover in the company of _family._

Despite the now casual use of that word in her presence, Regina wasn't entirely sure how much it realistically applied to her. But she was too tired to protest; too emotionally and physically drained to make her way back to Mifflin Street.

She stared at her own reflection and was certain Emma's loose-fitting black sweatpants and red-hoodie looked horrendous on her. She briefly contemplated changing back into her pencil skirt to avoid looking so absurd.

"You look _adorable_ in my sweats," the blonde approached her, as if she could hear the insecurities running through her mind.

"No, I look like a peasant."

"You look sexy. And I'm mad at myself for not dressing you like this before."

"Well, it's probably because this is the first time I've actually been in here."

Regina took in her surroundings—the uncharted territory of Emma's bedroom; the room they never spent any time in because of its close proximity to Snow and Charming.

"And? What do you think, your majesty?"

"It's entirely unimpressive, dear. And tiny—you're a grown woman. How do you deal with this?"

"You know," Emma's face lit up, "I'm glad you mentioned that because I was thinking…"

"Excuse me," she interrupted, "I thought we established today that you thinking is a very dangerous, and potentially life-threatening, activity."

"I guess I should get used to those jokes for a while, huh?"

"Yes, indeed. But what were you saying?"

"I've been trying to take this slow, or whatever. It's just that…what's the point of going slow when I know you're my true love? I don't want to waste time living in this crammed apartment when Henry and I could just move in with you."

"Really?" Her first response was to question it—to make sure it was truly happening before she got her hopes up.

"Is it too fast? It's alright, if you think it is. Just tell me what you're thinking."

"It's not too fast; I would love if you both moved in."

Regina took a step closer and wrapped her arms around Emma's waist. She noticed immediately the painful expression the savior made at their contact.

"Let me see your burns," she demanded, as she backed away slightly. "You just grimaced in pain."

"I'm fine."

"I'm sure you are," Regina nodded as she lifted Emma's shirt above her head. "So you won't mind showing me, then."

"Seriously, I promise…it's not a big deal."

She frowned at the sight of Emma's chest and stomach; her skin appeared dry, cracked and red.

"You need to see a doctor."

"Oh, yeah?" Emma grabbed her arm and pushed up her sleeve, exposing the brunette's own burns. "Then you do, too."

"You have way more of them."

"And yours are ten times redder than mine. It's not a competition."

"I know that," she sighed in frustration. "If I still had magic I could just fix this right now."

"We'll both go see Dr. Whale tomorrow, okay?"

"Or you could heal us with magic," she quietly suggested. "But only if you want to."

"I can try," Emma agreed. The savior only turned to magic in the most dire of circumstances and still had to look to Regina for guidance. "Show me how?"

"It's simple," Regina held her palm out over Emma's stomach. "You just move your hand slowly over the burn and picture curing it."

She closed her eyes and went through the familiar motion in order to demonstrate. But when she opened her eyes, Emma was staring at her in astonishment. She looked and found the blonde's stomach was now entirely burn free.

"I healed you?" She looked down at her hands in shock.

"You did."

"But I don't have magic anymore…"

"Are you sure about that?" Emma grinned. "Try to do something else!"

She glanced back at her palm and concentrated on it—within seconds, a ball of fire appeared on the surface.

"I have magic again," she stated out loud, before quickly making the flame vanish.

"I guess true love's kiss really can break any curse."

"But it wasn't a curse that took away my magic? I don't understand."

"Don't question it—just be happy, this is…it's amazing."

"Is it? I don't know if I'm happy about this. Henry preferred me without magic."

"Henry preferred me with Neal before today. Henry is a kid and sometimes he doesn't know what's best for the adults in his life."

"I suppose that's true."

"If you don't want to use magic ever again, that's fine. But _you_ should get to make that decision. You've had enough forced on you over the years, don't you think?"

"Do you trust me with magic?" She nervously inquired. "Because when you fell in love with me, I didn't have it. You fell in love with Regina…not the magical Evil Queen."

"I trust you with _everything_, including magic. And I love you no matter what."

"Alright," she accepted. "Do I have permission to heal the rest of you, then?"

"Hell yeah—as long as I get to heal you next."

* * *

A half an hour later the women emerged, completely burn free, from Emma's bedroom.

Although the sheriff was usually not one for theatrical displays of affection, she couldn't seem to stop herself from hanging all over her girlfriend.

They walked right into Neal in the hallway-as he tried to tip-toe out of Henry's bedroom and quietly close the door behind him.

"Is Henry good?" Emma asked him, her chin rested comfortably on Regina's shoulder.

"He's asleep—and David is actually asleep right next to him."

"Perfect."

"I'm really sorry for what my father pulled on you today."

"She should've known better," Regina answered for her. "You don't have to apologize for your father's actions."

"Still," Neal insisted, "I'm also sorry for what he pulled on _you, _Regina."

"Yes—well, let's just be careful of him around Henry?"

"I'll make sure it's not an issue."

"Good," Regina nodded. "He's been through way too much lately. He needs a break."

"I think between the three of us we can make sure he gets one," Emma vowed.

"I'll meet you in the kitchen, dear" Regina addressed her directly before breaking her grip and walking away.

The brunette had a habit of excusing herself around Neal. She had once explained to Emma that it wasn't because she disliked him, but simply because she had respect for the relationship, and history, Emma had with him. It was a relationship Emma still valued and one that had evolved into mutual esteem and understanding.

"Thank you for being here for Henry during this debacle," she told him. "I appreciate it."

"Of course."

"Would you like to give me any crap for being stupid? I'm giving you one chance and once chance only."

"Nah—I'm sure you'll get enough of that from everyone else."

"You really have no idea."

"And for what it's worth, Emma… I'm really happy for you."

"So you're okay with all of this? It's not too weird for you?"

"I have a high tolerance for strange things," he teased. "The mother of my son dating the former Evil Queen who my father once mentored in dark magic doesn't even break the top ten on my list of weird life occurrences."

"That is sadly true," Emma couldn't help but to laugh at his assessment.

"It's just," Neal continued, "with his two super powerful moms together now, make sure Henry doesn't forget about his dad…alright?"

"Please," she scoffed, "the kid might accept that Regina and I are together…but he's _still _obsessed with you."

"Good—I'd like to keep it that way for a while."

The pair walked into the living room and towards the front door.

* * *

After seeing Neal out, Emma turned around to find both Regina and her mother standing in the kitchen.

"Guess what?" Emma called to Mary-Margaret from the living room.

"After today, I really hope you don't have any more surprises up your sleeve, Emma."

"Regina has her magic back," she excitedly exclaimed.

"True love's kiss," Snow digested the news. "I can't say I'm that surprised."

"And, um," the savior continued, suddenly nervous about revealing her second announcement, "I think Henry and I are going to move in with her."

Emma looked to Regina who stood by the counter as they both waited for a response.

"As it should be, sweetheart. This apartment with four people wasn't really working, anyway, was it?"

"No," she agreed, unable to gauge her mother's true feelings, "it wasn't."

"Well, congratulations are in order then. I don't think we have any champagne… but would you like some wine?"

'Yes, please."

Snow leaned over Regina to reach the cabinet—placing her hand gently on the queen's back in the process.

"What was that?" Emma questioned, as she marched into the kitchen.

"What was _what_, dear?" Regina replied.

"Mary-Margaret you just put your hand on Regina's back."

"I was reaching for the wine glasses?"

"Yeah, but…." Emma didn't know how to explain it—that a simple touch was so far out of their norm. "Did you guys bond over this whole thing? When I was cursed?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Emma," Regina warned her.

But Emma wasn't satisfied—and the fact that Mary-Margaret was avoiding her glance made her even more suspicious. _"Mom?"_

"Oh sure, pull the 'mom' card, because you know my weakness," Snow gave in. "We_ may_ have had something in the neighborhood of a moment."

"Really?!"

"Neighborhood is an exaggeration," Regina corrected. "Maybe it was in the same state as a moment. Maybe."

"So…if we're taking inventory here…I proved you're my true love, Henry believes we're supposed to be together, you got your magic back and sworn-enemies bonded. Want to tell me again how my plan sucked?"

"_If it weren't for Henry you'd both still be unconscious!"_

"_You nearly ruined our lives and left our son motherless!"_

Both women simultaneously shouted at her.

"Aw," Emma laughed at them. "Look at you two agreeing. That's just plain adorable."

Snow sighed as she put three glasses down on the counter and poured red wine into each.

"Have you really not pushed your luck far enough today?" Regina rolled her eyes.

Emma took a sip of her drink, suddenly feeling more than a little bit victorious.

* * *

The clock stuck midnight and Snow and Regina sat in awkward silence. Moments before, Emma had drifted to sleep, leaving the two women to fend for themselves.

"This one spends all day under a sleeping curse," Regina tried to crack a joke, "wakes up, has three glasses of wine, and goes back to sleep."

"All she does is sleep and eat. Between her and Henry you're going to have to restock your kitchen daily."

"What I'm going to need is a second job."

The small talk ended there and Regina suddenly felt completely exposed. Emma was asleep in her arms and she wasn't sure how happy she was to have Snow witnessing their intimacy.

"You know, I didn't really understand you two as a couple when Emma first told us. But seeing you guys like this—I get it. My daughter is_ so_ strong…she would only fall in love with someone as strong as her. And that's a hard thing to find."

"I'm not as strong as Emma."

"You're right, you're stronger. You have been through more than her."

"I don't know about that."

"I wish I hadn't missed the first two months of my daughter falling in love," Snow thought out loud, causing Regina to wonder how much the wine was impacting her. Though she didn't seem drunk, the friendly conversation was so foreign Regina almost wished she could blame it on the alcohol. "Maybe you could tell me about it."

"I don't know if…"

"Nothing private," Snow promised her. "I get that it's between you guys."

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything, really….what's the funniest thing that's happened since you started dating?"

Regina hated the idea of sharing anything with the woman seated before her. But she knew what it was like to be a mother desperate for insight into her child's life. And she also recognized that Emma had gone to extreme lengths to begin the healing process—it only seemed fair that she did her part.

"I don't allow food on the second floor of my house, but Emma seems to not comprehend that rule. One night she thought she was being clever and was apparently eating chocolate out of her pocket after I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning and there was chocolate all over the sheets and all over me. I screamed so loud I'm surprised it didn't wake up the entire town. Watching the panic on Emma's face as she tried to wash chocolate off my leg was one of the funnier things I've seen in my lifetime."

"That sounds like Emma," Snow laughed. "What about the most romantic?"

"I don't know," Regina contemplated. "She's not really one for grand-gestures, to be honest."

"Except for taking a sleeping curse to prove how much she loves you?"

"Right, well, yes. I just meant…it's the little things. She asked me when my birthday was—nobody used to care about my birthday. She always brings me my coffee and calls at the same time every night. She makes sure…she makes sure I know that she cares."

"I don't know if I should tell you this. But before Gold left, he said something to me about you two."

"What?"

"He told me I would live to regret waking you up...unless I was okay with you carrying my grand-children."

"He said we were going to have children?"

"He was very specific that Emma was going to get you pregnant. That can happen, right? With the magic of true love?"

"Maybe," she admitted. "I'm not entirely sure."

"He said it—and he sees the future."

"But he doesn't always see the future as clearly as he'd like to think."

"I know—but, still. This is…it's obviously a permanent situation—you and Emma."

"I'd like to think that it is, yes."

"Then we have to figure out a way to…"

"I know," Regina finished, understanding the sentiment. They would have to find a way to more than just tolerate each other. "But I hardly even know how to speak to you."

"We seem to be doing okay at the moment."

"Perhaps today _was _a good start—just don't tell Emma."

"Or we'll never hear the end of it."

Regina did not want her emotions to get the better of her- especially not in front of Snow. But she couldn't seem to help it. She was content on hating this woman...but she was also the key to everything she had ever wanted. It was a paradox she couldn't escape. "I can't help but to think about all those times I could've killed you-something was always stopping me. Turns out, I would've been killing my only chance at happiness."

"All those times we could've killed you, we would've been killing Emma's only chance at happiness. And, apparently, my grandchildren."

"I guess it's a good thing we both have some restraint, then."

"Can you stop talking," Emma stirred and covered her ears. "I'm tired."

"We should all probably get some sleep," Snow acknowledged. "It's been a long and eventful day."

"I can't move," Emma whined. "And I'm comfortable."

"I'll help you, dear—upstairs is not that far away."

"Goodnight, Emma," Snow bent down and kissed her daughter on the cheek. "I love you. And if you could go a few months without giving me a heart attack, I would greatly appreciate it."

"I love you, too. But no promises."

"Goodnight, Regina. I'm glad you're okay."

The queen watched Snow White standing in front of her, seemingly thinking about what to do. Before Regina could process what was happening, Mary-Margaret placed a quick kiss on her cheek, just as she had done to Emma.

Regina's entire body froze but she somehow managed to choke out a friendly "good-night" in return.

"Don't think I didn't see that," Emma mumbled as she allowed Regina to pull her up off the couch. "I knew it would work. My plans always work."

"Whatever you'd like to think, Emma. Now let's go upstairs."

"I'm a genius."

"Or an idiot."

Halfway up the steps Emma stopped and grabbed Regina's arm. "My dad said sometimes after sleeping curses….the nightmares are really bad."

"Are you worried about sleeping?"

"No I just meant…if you have one…wake me up, okay?"

"I will," Regina promised. "The same goes for you."

And there, in that promise, was the romance Regina couldn't seem to verbalize to Snow.

Although she would not soon forgot what Emma had done to prove their love, it was moments like this she cherished daily.

Moments of support and love she had waited her whole life to find.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi all! Here is the epilogue, of sorts. I know that by now there have been 100 million fics about Regina and Emma on the ship-but this is my take. It's also what I imagine to have taken place "before" the start of this story.**

**Also, for those of you who requested a magical baby sequel- I am totally flattered! I am considering what my summer SwanQueen fic project will be and am highly considering it. I am having a lot of MommyRegina feels lately and I definitely want to use them in my next story. **

**As always, thank you for the love and support. I hope you like this short chapter :)**

* * *

The wooden door of her tiny cabin creaked open and Regina knew who it was without so much as lifting her head. Indeed, she was certain it was Emma Swan who stood silently before her.

Regina sensed the savior's eyes all over her quivering form—but she couldn't move, couldn't respond to the presence. She felt frozen by the pain left behind from hours of torture followed immediately by the exhaustion of draining the diamond. But, most of all, she felt paralyzed by the sheer trauma of Henry's kidnapping.

"_Hi,"_ the blonde quietly greeted her. It was late, well-beyond midnight; she could only assume the other passengers on the Jolly Roger were sound asleep. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm _not_," Regina finally looked up and met a concerned gaze. "And neither are you."

"Yeah…but you should try to rest your body. The last 48 hours have been hard for all of us…but, physically, you've been through the most."

"How the hell can I sleep?" She ridiculed the very idea. "Every single time I close my eyes...I keep picturing what those people are doing to him."

"I know," Emma sighed and took a few steps forward; she sat herself down next to Regina on the wooden slab that served as a bed. "I keep thinking about how scared he must be."

"He is brave to a point of stubbornness. But if they…" Regina trailed off, because she simply couldn't finish the sentence—she was unwilling to verbalize the horrible theories running through her mind—visions of Greg and Tamara harming her son.

"Do you really think they would hurt him?" Emma desperately asked her. "He's just a kid. He's innocent. Maybe… they're just using him to get to us?"

"They were going to blow up a town full of innocent children to get their way. They think magic is 'impure'—that the world should be rid of it. And Henry's family tree is _full _of magic."

"His family has magic but he was born in this world—which makes him _different_."

"It's all my fault," Regina choked out, ignoring her companion's realization, "that he's _gone_."

"No, _this_ isn't your fault. And you know that I'd tell you if it was. You're responsible for a lot of things, but this isn't on you."

"I never wanted my past, the Evil Queen part of me, to impact him," she proclaimed, not entirely sure why she was suddenly overcome by the need to share this confession with Henry's other mother. "I just thought we could have a normal life. But maybe it was selfish of me to bring a child to Storybrooke."

"You know as well as I do that Henry wouldn't trade his life in Storybrooke for anything."

_"He traded me for you,"_ she muttered the statement so quietly she was sure Emma hadn't heard her.

"And yet…who did he go to in the end?"

"What?"

"When he thought we were all going to die, when he thought he only had moments left with all of us…he went to _his mom_, the woman who raised him. He chose you, not me."

"He told me he loved me today," the queen somberly recalled—replaying the moment over and over again in her mind—clinging to it for the strength to keep on breathing.

"Because he does."

"Why can't there ever just be uninterrupted happiness? I was finally enough for him. He said he loved me and now he's gone. Just like…like…"

"_Cora,_" Emma immediately understood. "If really you want to know who to blame for this...it's _my _fault. I shouldn't have let him out of my sight...even for a second."

"Don't be ridiculous—you were trying to prevent a mass execution."

"Yeah, I helped save the town again—but I lost Henry and his father in the process. So, where does that leave me? I'm pretty sure it makes me the worst 'savior' ever. I'm seriously pathetic."

"You're not pathetic. And I am sorry about what happened to Neal."

"It doesn't feel possible, that he's gone," Emma explained, taking her own turn opening up. "He_ just_ came back. I was only getting to know him again. I needed that, for Henry."

"Just be careful. When your true love dies…the grief…it can forever change you."

"Neal wasn't my true love or my soul mate or anything like that. I mean, I guess I'll always love him because he was my first love, you know?"

"Yes, I can certainly understand that."

"And he gave me—well, _us_-Henry."

"We will make sure….we'll make sure Greg and Tamara don't hurt anyone else."

Emma nodded in appreciation—and Regina welcomed the unexpected level of comfort their conversation was providing her. What was the opposite of comforting, however, was how utterly naked she felt under the savior's stare, which only intensified the longer they sat together.

"Those marks on your head still seem pretty bad, Regina."

"I didn't really have time to go for a check-up. And there's only so much the blue fairy could do to help, I suppose."

"Can I see them?" Emma asked permission to move closer.

"You can do whatever you'd like…though I'm certain you're not qualified to assess my medical condition."

"I know," the sheriff agreed, as she softly ran her fingertips over the red spots on the queen's forehead, "but I just feel like someone should…"

"_Em-ma,_" Regina moaned, before she even had time to process the way the blonde's name escaped her lips.

"What's wrong?"

"Y-you," she stuttered, barely able to form words, "you feel like ice."

"I'm so sorry," Emma jerked back, appearing guilty, "this boat is freezing."

"No, please _don't_. This is the first time it has stopped hurting."

"Really?" she looked down quizzically at her palms, before placing them back on Regina's temples.

"Your magic," was the only explanation offered. "_Thank you_."

"Give me your hands."

"Excuse me?"

"I saw marks on your fingers, too."

Regina held out her hands and allowed Emma to take them into her own. The contact caused the brunette to burst out into sporadic sobs.

"What's wrong? Does it hurt again?"

"No," she let the tears fall freely, "I just love him _so much_…I've never loved anyone like I love Henry."

"I know," Emma tightened the grip on their intertwined fingers; she couldn't stop her own eyes from watering up. "Neither have I."

"He makes everything worth it—everything I've ever gone through. All I ever wanted was to be for someone what my mother couldn't be for me."

"All I wanted was for him to grow up surrounded by people who love him. He has that; we _can't_ lose him now."

"_What if we never see him again?"_

"_What if we never hear his voice again?" _

"I won't live through that," Regina insisted. "I'm telling you, I just won't."

"No, we have to stop it," Emma demanded. "We can't fall apart because we have to be ready; we have to be ready to fight for him, to save him. Just like we always do."

"You're right. I just...like I said, I can't stop thinking about everything that could go wrong."

"Then maybe…maybe we need to talk about something else."

"Like _what_? The weather?"

"No. But…what about _you_?"

"Me? Why?"

"Because you're the mother of my son," Emma reasoned. "And I feel like...like I _really _know you in this super familiar way. Except, that I sort of don't know you at all. I don't know if that makes any sense..."

On the surface, the statement_ didn't_ make sense—but, oddly, Regina knew exactly what she meant. "What do you want to hear?"

"I'm not sure. I just want to know more about you."

"You know the gist, don't you? Rumor has it there's even a book about it."

"I know your fiancé was killed by Cora because my mom told her about you guys."

"Losing Daniel at my mother's hand was a nightmare. But the reason your mother...the reason I had so much anger towards your mother is because...I look at her and...she's the reason I had to marry the King. He wanted me to be his wife because your mother liked me."

"You didn't want to marry him?"

"Of course not. I was eighteen, a mere six years older than your mother. The man I loved was murdered and my mom accepted the King's proposal before I had the chance to even understand what was happening."

"That's," Emma struggled for words, "_fucked up_."

"I look at your mother and I see everything and everyone that broke me. I see the beginning of my end. I see my own weakness staring me in the face."

"I understand. But you're definitely _not_ weak."

Regina nearly broke down all over again from the sheer force of the encouragement—it was the first time she had ever heard those words…._I understand_. But she still couldn't prevent herself from reliving all of her failures. "And yet, I needed you to help me to stop that damn device."

"All the hard work was already done from you draining it _for hours _before I got there."

"What made you think it might work, anyway?"

"I just thought...I thought it was worth a shot. We opened that portal. I'm not sure. I guess it seems like… we're just stronger together, for whatever reason."

"I think I'm feeling a little tired, after all," Regina proclaimed—because neither one of them was quite ready for the much grander, more complex, admittance bubbling beneath the surface.

"I think I am, too."

"I guess this is good-night, then."

"No, I'm not leaving—your pain will come back."

"You…you don't have to do that. I'll live through the pain."

"I want to—I want to stay. Unless...you'd rather I didn't."

All of a sudden, as Regina stared into Emma's eyes, the weight of the savior's words and actions over the last six months came crashing down on her.

_Let her go. _

_She's not dying. _

_I invited her. _

_You're trying to change. _

_Regina, think about what you're doing._

_You were….saying good-bye._

_Regina, please._

_There has to be another way. _

_Maybe we are. _

She didn't know how or why she hadn't seen it before: that Emma Swan cared about her.

She was frightened, angry and overjoyed all at once to realize that she cared for Emma, too.

"Stay," she instructed. "I'd like it if you stayed."


End file.
